Former Meta employees launch Stream, a smart ring that takes voice notes and controls music

A raft of voice-based hardware devices have emerged, aimed at companionship, productivity, or personal growth. These include card-shaped devices from Plaud and Pocket; pendants from Friend, Limitless, and Taya; and a wristband from Bee, which is now part of Amazon. Now, two former Meta employees who worked on interface design have launched Sandbar, a startup…

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Russia to Let Banks Handle Crypto Under Strict Rules; 20M Russians Already Use It

Russia is moving closer to formally integrating crypto into its financial system, as officials acknowledge widespread adoption and the central bank prepares to let banks handle digital assets under tight controls. According to a report by TASS, Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov said around 20 million Russians now use cryptocurrencies “for various purposes,” describing them…

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How far must UK go to fend off threat of foreign interference in its elections? | Party funding

Russia has been attempting to meddle with western democracy for years, but successive governments led by Boris Johnson and others have insisted that the UK’s electoral system can withstand its influence. That argument was recently blown apart by the conviction of former Reform politician Nathan Gill, jailed for 10 years for accepting bribes to advance…

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